Apparatus for abrasion resistance



Feb 6, 1968 w. s. TROOPE ETAL 3,367,041

APPARATUS FOR ABRASION RESISTANCE Filed Sept. 29, 1966 f# FIG INVENTORS United States Patent 3,367,041 APPARATUS EUR ABRASION RESISTANCE Walter S. Troope, Latham, and Robert S. Cramer, Troy, NSY., assignors to Ciuett Peabody & Co., Inc., Troy, NX., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 583,047 8 Claims. (Cl. 34-54) The present invention relates to apparatus for the treatment of Webs such as webs of paper or fabrics of various types by exposure of the web, as it moves continuously through a path of predetermined length, to a treating7 gas and more particularly lto such apparatus in which a very highly accurate control of the extent of gaseous treatment is maintained. The apparatus is useful in any such gaseous treatment process in which accuracy of control is essential including the practice of certain known processes for imparting wash-and-wear or crease resistant or durable press characteristics to certain types of lfabrics.

It is well known that fabrics made of cotton or containing substantial percentages of natural cellulosic fibers, suffer loss of tensile strength and tear strength and substantial loss of resistance to abrasion when subjected to those wash-and-wear and similar treatments which are successful with fabrics made from polyester fibers, for example. Processes have been developed, however, by which the desired characteristics may be imparted to such `cellulosic fabrics with considerably less deterioration of other needed characteristics. Among suc-h improved processes are -those which make use of known curable resins or cross-linking agents but in which the degree of resin curing or cross-linking which occurs in the outer regions of the fibers, strands and yarns from which the fabric is made, is substantially less than the degee of curing or cross-linking which occurs in the inner yregions of such fabric elements. For example in imparting wash-and-wear and similar characteristics to a cotton fabric the fabric may first be impregnated with any suitable resin or crosslinking agent together with a catalyst but before the fabric is subjected to an op-eration in which curing or cross-linking will occur at a rapid rate the resin-catalyst mixture residing in the outer regions of the fabric elements is treated in some way to defeat or at least sharply reduce the amount of curing or cross-linking which will occur in the outer regions. Cotton fabrics treated in this way and thereafter cured or cross-linked will have a substantial and usfeul degree of curing or cross-linking in the interior regions only of the yarns, strands and bes while the oute regions will retain to a great extent the original characteristics of an untreated cotton material. Such fabric exhibits greater tear and tensile strength and much greater resistance to damage by abrasion than does a similar cotton fabric in which curing or cross-linking has been carried out in a uniform manner throughout the crosssection of the fabric elements.

One known process for imparting wash-and-wear and similar characteristics to cotton fabrics without substantial deterioration in tear and tensile strength and abrasion resistance has been found highly desirable because of the rapidity with which it can be carried out and the relatively low cost of the treating materials involved. This process comprises, generally, the impregnation of the cotton fabric with the desired resin or cross-linking agent mixed with a catalyzing agent followed by exposure of the impregnated fabric to a gas which will react with the catalyzing agent to form a compound which is ineffective as a catalyst. However it will be apparent that limiting of the reaction of the gas and catalyst to the exterior regions of the yarns, strands and fibers requires very careful control of conditions u nder which the gas treatment is applied. Gas has the very great virtue of rapid penetration of fibrous materials but such rapid penetration could effecrice tively defeat curing or cross-linking throughout the diameters of the fabric elements. To confine the neutralizing of the catalyst to the exterior regions of the fabric elements thus basically will require very brief exposure to the treating gas and because the exposure is brief the concentration of the gas must be maintained very closely at a predetermined level related with the particular structure of the fabric, the moisture content thereof and the other environmental conditions under which the brief and closely controlled exposure must occur.

The apparatus `of 4the present invention provides a versatile treating chamber in which fabrics of widely varying weights and yarn count, degree of twist, etc. may be treated in a continuously operating, high speed and thus commercially attractive manner, with unusually close control of treating gas concentration and the conditions under which the fabric is exposed to the gas. The control devices by which this is accomplished are such that once a predetermined set of conditions for a particular fabric has been selected those conditions may be closely and reliably duplicated each time a fabric of this particular type is to be treated. Thus, on the basis of operating experience with a large number of fabrics, the originally experimentally-determined optimum treatment for each such fabric may be set up in the machine for commercial production of large quantities of fabrics having remarkably uniform wash-and-wear or similar characteristics cornbined with the preservation of a very large percentage of the tensile and tear strength and abrasion resistance normally exhibited by an untreated fabric.

The apparatus of the present invention includes, for supplying a treating gas to a treating chamber for webs of fabric, gas distribution means Within the chamber so located, relative to the fabric and the means for supplying other atmospheric components and for distributing the combined atmosphere within the chamber, as to insure treatment of the entire area of the fabric at an exceptionally uniform rate. The gas supplying means also includes means for controlling the rate of supply either by establishing a pre-set fixed rate or by placing the control under automatic means which is responsive to analysis, by means such as a chromatograph, of the atmosphere within the chamber.

It is an object of the present invention to provide web treating apparatus of the type described. Other and further objects will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of preferred, but not necessarily the only, forms of the invention taken in connection with the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational View, with parts in section and with parts broken away, of the one form of apparatus embodying the present invention and including diagrammatic and conventional showings of various control elements of such apparatus; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary diagramamtic and conventional view showing a modification of certain portions of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. l is one of great versatility and is especially desirable in the processing of fabrics in which the quantity of treating gas required by the fabric as related to the retention time of the fabric in contact with the gas and the rate at which the fabric picks up the required amount, is such that the most accurate control is achived by establishing a recirculating atmosphere containing a predetermined substantially constant percentage of the treating gas with make-up gas being supplied at a rate under the control of gas-analyzing apparatus which samples the treating atmosphere at periodic intervals. The embodiment in FIG. 2 provides even more 3 accurate control of the rate of supply of make-up gas when operated as described above in connection with FIG. 1 and offers the further advantage of accurate control in the processing of fabrics which for one or more of various reasons may pick up the required amount of treating gas so fast that control by atmospheric sampling may not -be practical or required as long as the rate of supply of treating gas is maintained accurately at a pre determined constant level by the means disclosed in said FIG. 2.

The form of the invention shown in FIG. 1 includes an enclosed treatment chamber which is basically similar to the fabric steam chambers familiar to those in the fabric Iprocessing industry. The treating chamber, generally indicated at 16, thus is shown in somewhat diagrammatic form and includes generally vertical end walls 12 and 14, side walls 16 and 18 and generally horizontal top and bottom walls 2t) and 22. Preferably, the top wall 20 is heated to prevent condensation of moisture which might fall upon the fabric. For example, the top wall 20 may be provided with steam pipes or electrical heating elements 24 and the wall itself may be constructed of two plates so as to enclose the pipes or elements 24.

Suitable access doors, only one of which is shown at 26, may be provided in any or all of the vertical walls 12, 14, 16 and 18. The access door 26 is shown in the wall 1-6 which is the front wall of the chamber lil as viewed in FIG. 1. The door or doors, or some of them, may be made of transparent material or may include transparent inserts to provide for observation of the interior while the chamber is in operation. As shown in FIG. 1, for example, the door 26 is made of transparent material.

The chamber 10 is provided with a set of upper rolls 28 mounted for rotation in suitable bearings and a set of lower rolls 30 similarly mounted. Both sets of rolls 28 and 30 may be idlers or one or both of them, preferably the lower set 30, may be driven to reduce longitudinal tension on the fabric being treated. It is highly desirable that the bearings for the rolls 28 and 30 be positioned outside the chamber to avoid lubrication problems as well as corrosion problems, when certain treating gases are used, without the need for resorting to the more expensive alternative of using sealed, corrosion-proof bearings or the like. Outside bearings with suitable roll-end seals are used in some forms of fabric steam chambers and are familiar to those in the textile finishing field. Consequently the outside bearings 32 and 34 for the rolls 28 and 30 respectively, are only diagramatically illustrated in FIG. 1.

A length of fabric 36, to be treated, is guided over an idler roll 38 at the left-hand side of the chamber 10 as viewed in FIG. 1 and is conducted through a batiie box 40 before entering the chamber 10. The bafe box 40 is provided with any suitable form of sealed or gas-flowrestricting openings for the entry and exit of the fabric 36. Such openings may be narrow slots 42 and 44, only slightly larger than the width and thickness of the fabric 36. lf so desired the lower lips of the slots 42 and 44 may be provided with heaters 46 and 48 respectively to prevent condensation of moisture. Also the slots 42 and 44 may be provided with elastomeric flaps (not numbered) which yieldably engage one of the surfaces of the fabric 36 to provide additional sealing.

A bafflle box S0, which may be similar to or identical in all respects with the box 40, is provided at the exit end of the chamber 10. The fabric 36 is guided over the last upper roll 28 and through the slots or seals of the batlie box 50 to an exterior guide roll 52 to leave the chamber 10. The upper walls of the baflie boxes 40 and 50 may be formed as continuations of the top wall 20 of chamber 10 and, in any event, preferably are heated by the steam pipes or heating elements, 24 to prevent condensation of vapors thereon.

The batiie boxes 40 and 50, also preferably, are provided with exhaust openings, not numbered, in the top walls thereof each of which communicate with a conduit 54, a conduit 56 and an exhaust fan or blower 60 which discharges to the atmosphere outside the building in which the chamber 10 is located. The fan 60 will serve constantly to withdraw gases from the bafe boxes 40 and 50 creating a sub-atmospheric pressure therein whereby any leakage at the seals or slots (42, 44 for example) will be inwardly of the baie boxesas indicated by the arrows associated with the slots in both baiiie boxes 40 and 50. In this manner escape of possibly noxious gases into the work area adjacent the chamber 10 is prevented.

Within the chamber 10 the fabric is conducted over the first upper roll 28, downwardly to the first lower roll 3@ and then alternately over as many upper and lower rolls 28 and 30 as may be desired for a particular reten tion time at a particular lineal rate of feed. For the types of processes for which this apparatus is particularly adapted retention times in the order of iive to ten seconds are usually adequate so that even with the fabric travelling at high speed the overall size of the apparatus is not unduly great.

For recirculation of the atmosphere within chamber 10 there is provided a pipe or tube 62 extending transversely with respect to the path of the fabric 36 and located in the upper portion of the chamber 10 near the fabric exit. The pipe 62 is provided with a series of holes 64 formed in the lower periphery thereof and extending in a row substantially throughout the width of chamber 10. At its far end, as viewed in FIG. 1 the pipe 62 communicates with a conduit 66 which runs to the inlet of a fan or blower 68. The outlet of the blower 68 discharges into a conduit 70 which communicates with a pipe or tube 72 similar to or identical with the pipe 62 and which is provided with a row of holes 74 communicating wth the interior of chamber 10. Pipe 62 thus is a return pipe and pipe 72 is a supply pipe for recirculation of the atmosphere of chamber 10 under the inuence of blower 68. Obviously the conduits 66 and 70 may communicate with both ends or with the central region only of the return and supply pipes 62 and 72 respectively to provide more even distribution of gases if so desired. Preferably the supply pipe 72 is positioned at a lower level than the return pipe 62 inasmuch as the heating devices, to be def scribed, are effective to set up a generally upward ow of the atmosphere within the chamber 10 and a desirable blending of the returned atmosphere with incoming additives is thus promoted.

The treating gas for the fabric 36 is introduced into the chamber 10 by a pipe 76 which extends transversely with respect to the path of travel of the fabric 36 and throughout the width of the chamber 10. The pipe 76 is provided with a row or relatively small, closely spaced holes 78 extending substantially throughout the length of the pipe 76 and positioned in the upper periphery thereof so that the gas discharged through the holes 78 will be directed upwardly of the chamber 10. It is preferred to locate the pipe 76 beneath the recirculation supply pipe 72 whereby the gas from pipe 76 will be blended with the recirculated atmosphere as quickly and uniformly as possible. Also, it is preferred to locate both pipes 72 and 76 within a portion of chamber 10 which is ahead of the first downward reach of fabric 36 as it passes from irst upper roll 23 to first lower roll 30 whereby the incoming fabric is quickly exposed to the treating gas in the properly blended and conditioned atmosphere. The combined effect of convection and the movement of the fabric 36 through the chamber will be such as to carry the treating atmosphere progressively upwardly and toward the right as viewed in FIG. 1, whereby as the treating gas is absorbed by the fabric the concentration thereof in the atmosphere is progressively reduced in a generally uniform manner.

When the treating gas is compatible with or soluble in water, absorption of the gas into the fabric will be promoted and will be made more uniform if the fabric con tains a certain amount of uniformly-distributed moisture and when the treating atmosphere is maintained with a rather high, uniformly-distributed moisture content. Also, to promote absorption of the gas and moisture vapor in the treating atmosphere into the fabric it is desirable to maintain the treating atmosphere at a temperature at least as high as and preferably somewhat higher than the temperature of the fabric 36 since radiation of heat from the fabric into the surrounding atmosphere would tend to impede absorption.

Therefore, the present apparatus includes means for adding moisture vapor and heat to the treating atmosphere. This can be done simply and effectively by adding lowpressure steam to the chamber at a temperature substantially above that of the incoming fabric 36. Thus, in FIG. 1 two steam distributing pipes 80 and 82 having holes 84 and 86, respectively, formed in the upper peripheries thereof are located near the bottom wall 22 of chamber 10. Preferably the steam pipe 80 is located beneath treating-gas distributing pipe 76 whereby the added steam is promptly blended with the treating gas and the recirculated atmosphere thus assuring that the treating atmosphere which `first comes into contact with the incoming lfabric 36 Iwill comprise a `proper and uniform blend of treating gas and moisture vapor and will be at the desired temperature exceeding that of the fabric.

The steam distributing pipe S2 preferably is located beyond the last upward reach of the fabric in its sinuous path through the chamber 10, whereby to make up for such heat and moisture vapor as has ybeen transferred to the fabric during its travel through the chamber 10. Also, it has been found desirable to add additional water vapor for reconditioning the atmosphere for recirculation through return pipe 62, fan 68 and supply pipe 72 to the chamber 10. For this purpose a water distributing pine 68 having downwardly directed holes or spray nozzles 90 extends across the chamber 10 just ahead of the last upper chamber 10. For this purpose a water distributing pipe 88 and the fabric 36 to prevent direct impingement upon the fabric 36 of water droplets which might be sprayed from or formed near the pipe 88.

The pipe 88 has been described as a water distributing pipe inasmuch as it may be used to add moisture in the form of wet steam or in the form of a tine spray of water. It is desirable in many cases to distribute a fine spray of liquid water through atomizing nozzles from pipe 88 to increase the moisture content of the atmosphere without further increase in temperature of such atmosphere. For example, the temperature of the atmosphere within chamber 10 may be as high as is desirable for a particular op- Y eration but the moisture content may lbe lower than the required level. The addition of a water spray from pipe $8 will increase the moisture content without increasing, or if desirable with a decrease in, the temperature of the atmosphere just before it is recirculated by the means described. This is an important aspect of the precise control afforded by this invention.

In FIG. l the treating gas is supplied to the distributor pipe 76 by a conduit 94 from a conventional gas bottle 96 or other suitable pressure source of the selected treating gas. The gas from bottle 96 is delivered through a conventional pressure regulator valve 9S whereby the gas flows into a conduit 100 under a constant predetermined pressure and from the conduit 100 through an adjustable throttle valve 102 into the conduit 94.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 2 the treating gas is supplied to the conduit 94 from a gas bottle 296 or other suitable source similar to that shown in FIG. l. The gas from bottle 296 is delivered through a pressure regulating valve 298 into a conduit 300 under constant predetermined gaseous pressure. From the conduit 300 the gas passes through a flow meter 302 and into the conduit 94. The ow meter 302 is used in this form of the invention instead of the throttle valve 102 shown in FIG. 1. The ow meter 302 may be any suitable, commercially available, type designed to deliver gas at a constant volumetric or constant mass-flow rate which may be adjusted to the particular rate which may be desired. For greatest precision in treatment of a fabric the flow meter 302 preferably is of a type which compensates for the particular temperature or changes in temperature of the gas so as to deliver the gas at a constant mass-flow rate.

In either of the forms of the invention shown in FIGS. l or 2 the rate of flow of treating gas from the source 96 or 296 to the conduit 94 and gas distributor pipe 76 may be controlled by a chromatograph which operates upon samples of the treating chamber atmosphere taken from an appropriate and convenient location within the chamber 10. As shown more particularly in FIG. 1 the control device is an automatic chromatograph which includes a sampling tube 104 positioned within chamber 10 at a point preferably between an adjacent pair of lower guide rolls 30 and relatively remote from the point of introduction of the treating gas. The sampling tube 104 is fitted with a lint filter 106 near its inner end and extends outside the chamber where it communicates with a conduit 108. The sample of chamber atmosphere drawn from the sample tube through conduit 108 is first conducted to a conditioner 110 in which the gas sample is brought to the particular temperature, moisture content and possibly other conditions at which it is to be analyzed. From the conditioner 110 the conditioned gas sample is conducted to an analyzer 112 of the chromatograph type which separates the various gases and sends an electrical signal to a programmer 113 which determines the amount of the particular treating gas present in the sample. The programmer then sends an electrical signal to a transducer 114 which converts the electrical signal to an air output to a recorder-controller 116. The recorder-controller 116 includes one or more recording pens which are operated in response to the air output and which record the signal on a chart. The recorder-controller compares the signal thus drawn on the chart with a preset level and sends an air signal to a throttle actuator 118 which operates the throttle valve 102, increasing the rate of fiow or decreasing the rate of flow depending upon the nature of the signal received by the recorder-controller 116. The various elements of the control device just described are available in somewhat differing forms from manufacturers specializing in the design and construction of such apparatus and the details of construction thereof form no part of the present invention.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 2 wherein the flow meter 302 is used instead of the throttle valve 102 shown in FIG. 1 it will be appreciated that the signals from a recorder-controller 216 of an automatic chromatograph similar to that shown in FIG. l are made effective to reset the rate of fiow established by the flow meter 302. Thus, in response to an analysis by the chromatograph apparatus revealing that an increase or decrease in iiow rate is required the indicated adjustment is automatically made to restore the lpercentage of treating gas 'in the atmosphere within chamber 10 to the predetermined value selected for a specific treatment of a particular fabric.

The automatic control of the throttle valve 102 of FIG. l or the flow meter 302 of FIG. 2, in response to periodic chromatographic sampling of the atmosphere within chamber 10 is highly desirable in connection with the treatment of fabrics wherein absorption of the treating gas by the fabric proceeds relatively slowly, that is where exposure times of from about 5 to l0 seconds are required to permit the treating gas to penetrate to the specifically desired, limited, extent involved in the practice of the process described. In plants wherein fabrics of this type are processed in sufficient quantity to warrant the installation of a machine specifically designed for such fabrics the form of the invention shown in FIG. l may be preferred. This is because the throttle valve 102 is less expensive to install and to service than the flow meter 302 shown in FIG. 2. Even in such plants the greater precision of treating-gas ow rate afforded by the flow meter 302 may be of such value as to warrant the use of the form of the invention shown in FIG. 2. The calibrated settings provided by a ow meter at least will facilitate start-up with different fabrics in connection with which a suitable basic iiow rate has been established by experience. Thus, the rst sampling performed by the automatic chromatograph in a new run should find the atmosphere of chamber 10 much closer to desired treating gas level than would be the case with the throttle valve 102 which does not afford comparable accuracy of calibration.

The retention time of the fabric within the chamber 10 may be controlled by varying the lineal kspeed of the fabric or by varying the number of rolls 28, 30 over which the fabric is conducted. The latter procedure is effected merely by skipping some of the rolls when a lower retention time is required. Also the latter proce- `dure is probably preferable in many instances over varying of the lineal speed since the apparatus of the present invention frequently will be installed in a production line wherein it is more convenient to maintain a rate of speed consistent with that of other processing equipment. By way of example it will be assumed that it is desirable in a particular plant to process fabric at a lineal speed of 100 yards per minute. In such a case the chamber 10 will be constructed in such a size that when the fabric is threaded over all of therolls 28, 30 the retention time within the chamber at that lineal speed will be, say, 10 seconds. It will be apparent that by skipping some of the rolls the retention time may be reduced to substantially any shorted period that may be desired.

The retention time for gas treatment of a fabric which has been impregnated with a resin-catalyst mixture in order to deactivate the catalyst to a predetermined depth only in the outer regions of the fabric elements will depend upon a number of factors which are so well within the control of the user that the suggested retention time range of from about to about l0 seconds ordinarily will be adequate for a very broad line of fabrics. The proper balance between retention time and the amount of treating gas in the atmosphere within chamber should be selected with a view to avoiding gas concentrations which are either too high or too low to be accurately controllable While at the same time providing at least enough retention time for the fabric to make several passes through upward and downward reaches of its pathwhereby uniformity of distribution and ultimate treatment can be expected. The forms of the present invention which include the automatic chromatograph provide for the desired degree of precision of treatment of quite a wide range of fabrics including some, such as mens shirting and the like, which are manufactured in very great quantities.

In some cases because of the nature of the fabric7 its moisture content or because of the quantity or type of treating resin and/or catalyst involved, the combined demand for a large amount of treating gas and a very short retention time may be encountered. This can be the case when a particular fabric will absorb the treating gas at a very yhigh rate of speed while at the same time a very large amount of treating gas must be absorbed. Under these conditions it will be necessary to supply treating gas to the chamber at such a rate that the concentration of treating gas in the entrance region of the chamber will be very high and will become rapidly lower as the treating gas is absorbed While the fabric is moving toward the exit. Under these conditions the form of the invention shown in FIG. 2 offers particular advantage. In that form of the invention the treating gas may lbe supplied solely under manual control of the flow meter 302 in accordance with empiricallydetermined procedure for the particular fabric involved. The automatic chromatograph control devices may be shut olf for this purpose when fabrics of this general type are relatively infrequently encountered. On the other hand in a plant wherein large quantities of such fabrics are processed the apparatus may be initially installed without the chromatograph devices.

The automatic chromatograph thus is of particular value where the rate of absorption of treating gas by the fabric is slow enough that the relative amount of treating gas in the atmosphere in the entrance zone of the chamber 10 is only slowly reduced as the atmosphere moves with the fabric towards the exit. Under these conditions the sampling of the gas part-way down the path of the fabric within the chamber is highly practical because the concentration at the sampling point will be only slightly smaller than the maximum within the chamber. However with the unusual fabrics or conditions discussed above the relative amount of treating gas in the atmosphere will drop rapidly and at any practical sampling point down the line will be much smaller than the maximum concentration. The attempt to control the maximum concentration by sampling of atmosphere with small residual concentration will not be as effective as the simpler procedure of setting up an established ow rate through the ow meter 302 without use of the automatic chromatograph.

A great many of the resins used for imparting washand-wear and similar characteristics to cotton fabrics are materials with which acid catalysts are used to promote curing of the resin or cross-linking of the elementsof the fabric. Thus for the practice of a gas-treatment process by which curing or cross-linking in the outer regions only of cotton fabric elements is prevented or sharply reduced the treating gas for neutralizing the acid catalyst can be any alkaline gas. For practical purposes ammonia gas is entirely satisfactory since it is readily available, relatively inexpensive and not particularly difficult or dangerous to use under conditions of reasonable care. Ammonia is readily soluble in water and consequently the rateat which ammonia is absorbed =by a fabric is at least partially depend upon the moisture content of the fabric when it is exposed to the ammoniacontaining atmosphere in chamber 1i). It has been noted, for example, that for a given fabric the rate of absorbtion and thus the depth of penetration into the fabric of the ammonia in a period of time becomes greater as the moisture content of the fabric is increased.

Thus, particularly when ammonia gas is used, a considerable degree of accuracy in control of the extent of treatment can be effected by selection of moisture content of the fabric as it enters the chamber 10. Also, the amount of moisture added by the steam pipes and 82 and the moisture vapor distributing pipe 88 to the constantly recirculating atmosphere of chamber 10 may be varied for best results with a particular fabric. Although it is not shown in the drawings it is recommended that suitable instruments be used to register or record the temperature and relative humidity of the atmosphere within chamber 10. Monitoring or monitoring and control of these characteristics of the atmosphere respectively will permit compensation for or elimination of the effect of variations in such characteristics upon the nature of the treatment which the accurately controlled treating-gas supply afforded by the present invention will impart to the fabric.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for the processing of webs of fabric comf prising a closed chamber provided with entrance and exit openings for a web of fabric, a plurality of guide rolls positioned in upper and lower regions within said chamber over which said fabric is progressively guided in a generally sinuous path having reaches extending alternatively downwardly and upwardly within said chamber, a low-pressure steam distributing pipe extending transversely of the path of said fabric, said steam pipe being located adjacent the first reach of the path of said fabric and adjacent the bottom of said chamber, said steam pipe having means to discharge a generally uniformly distributed supply of steam at a predetermined rate and in a direction extending generally upwardly of the entire width of said chamber, a return pipe extending transversely of the path of said fabric in a position adjacent the top of said chamber and adjacent the last reach of the path of said fabric through said chamber, said return pipe having means to receive atmosphere from the interior of said chamber, a recirculating blower the inlet of which is connected with said return pipe to withdraw chamber atmosphere from said return pipe, a supply pipe connected with the outlet of said blower and extending transversely of the path of said fabric adjacent the first reach of said path and located above said steam pipe, said supply pipe having means to direct recirculated atmosphere downwardly against the rising stream of steam from said steam pipe, a treating gas distributing pipe extending transversely of the width of the path of said fabric through said chamber, said gas pipe having means extending throughout the length of said pipe for discharging a generally uniformly distributed supply of treating gas upwardly of said chamber, said gas pipe being located in general vertical alignment with and between said steam pipe and said supply pipe whereby the gas distributed by said gas pipe is blended with the countercurrently-flowing streams of steam and recirculated atmosphere to form a fabric-treating atmosphere at a point adjacent the fabric in the first reach of the path of said fabric, said chamber and the guide rolls therein being so constructed and arranged that said fabrictreating atmosphere is free to move generally with said fabric as the latter moves through said chamber thus providing extensive exposure of said fabric to said fabrictreating atmosphere, and means for supplying a fabric treating gas at a predetermined How rate to said gas distributing pipe.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein there is provided a second low-pressure steam distributing pipe, said second steam pipe extending transversely of the path of said fabric and being located adjacent the bottom of said chamber and adjacent the last reach of the path of said fabric through said chamber, said second steam pipe having means to direct a generally uniformly distributed supply of steam generally upwardly from the bottom of said chamber to add heat and moisture vapor to said blended atmosphere.

3. Apparatus for the processing of Webs of fabric including a closed chamber provided with entrance and exit openings for a web of fabric, a plurality of guide rolls positioned in upper and lower regions within said charnber over which said fabric is progressively guided in a generally sinuous path having reaches extending alternately downwardly and upwardly within said chamber, means adjacent the first reach of the path of said fabric and adjacent the bottom of said chamber for supplying an atomsphere in a direction extending generally upwardly of the entire width of said chamber to come into contact with and generally to follow said fabric through said path toward the last reach f said path, said atmosphere supplying means including a treating gas distributing pipe extending transversely of the width of the path of said fabric through said chamber said gas pipe having means extending throughout the length of said pipe arranged to distribute gas to blend with the remaining constituents of said atmosphere, and means for supplying a fabric treating gas at a predetermined ow rate to said gas distributing pipe, said last-named means including a source of treating gas at a gaseous pressure greater than the gaseous pressure of said atmosphere within said chamber, and means forregulating the Arate of flow of gas from said supply to said gas pipe to establish said predetermined ow rate.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said means for regulating the rate of flow of said treating gas comprises a ow meter.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said means for regulating the rate of flow of said treating gas comprises an atmosphere sampling tube located within said chamber, chromatographic gas analyzing means for withdrawing through said tube a sample of said atmosphere from said chamber and for indicating the relative amount of said treating gas included in said atmosphere, and means responsive to said indication for changing the rate of flow of said treating gas to said gas distributing pipe as required to establish a predetermined relative amount of said treating gas within the atmosphere in said chamber.

6. Apparatus for the processing of web of fabric including a closed chamber provided with entrance and exit openings for a web of fabric, a plurality of guide means positioned in upper and lower regions within said chamber over which said fabric is progressively guided, means in said chamber for supplying an atmosphere in a direction extending generally upwardly of the entire width of said chamber to come into contact with said fabric, said atmosphere-supplying means including a treating-gas-distributing device extending into said chamber, said gas device having means including a pipe arranged to distribute gas to blend with the remaining constituents of said atmosphere, and means for supplying a fabric-treating gas at a predetermined flow rate to said gas-distributing device, said last-named means including a source of treating gas at a gaseous pressure greater than the gaseous pressure of said atmosphere within said chamber, and means for regulating the rate of flow of gas from said supply to said gas device to establish said predetermined ow rate.

7. Apparatus is accordance with claim 6 wherein said means for regulating the rate of flow of said treating gas comprises an atmosphere sampling tube located within said chamber, chromatographic gas analyzing means for withdrawing through said tube a sample of said atmosphere from said chamber and for indicating the relative amount of said treating gas included in said atmosphere, and means responsive to `said indication for changing the rate of ow of said treating gas to said gas distributing pipe as required to establish a predetermined relative amount of said treating gas within the atmosphere in said chamber.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein there is provided a Water distributing pipe having means for supplying water in nely divided form to the atmosphere within said chamber, said water distributing pipe extending transversely of the path of said fabric and being located adjacent said return pipe whereby water distributed by said water distributing pipe is added to the atmosphere within said chamber just prior to withdrawal of said atmosphere by said return pipe.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,873,597 2/1959 Fahringer 34-159 X 3,084,448 4/1963 Dungler 34-155 3,143,396 8/1964 Eige et al. 34-54 3,195,554 7/1965 Hanna.

FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner. J. J. CAMBY, Assistant Examiner,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3,367,041 February 6, 1966 Walter S. Troope et al.

It is certified that error appears n the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 5, line 35, "pipe 68" should read pipe 88 line 37, "just ahead of the last upper chamber l0" should read just ahead of the last upper roll 28 line 38, "For this purpose a water distributing pipe 88" should read A baffle plate 92 is positioned between pipe 8B Signed and sealed this 17th day of March 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Edward M. Fletcher, Ir.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

6. APPARATUS FOR THE PROCESSING OF WEB OF FABRIC INCLUDING A CLOSED CHAMBER PROVIDED WITH ENTRANCE AND EXIT OPENINGS FOR A WEB OF FABRIC, A PLURALITY OF GUIDE MEANS POSITIONED IN UPPER AND LOWER REGIONS WITHIN SAID CHAMBER OVER WHICH SAID FABRIC IS PROGRESSIVELY GUIDED, MEANS IN SAID CHAMBER FOR SUPPLYING AN ATMOSPHERE IN A DIRECTION EXTENDING GENERALLY UPWARDLY OF THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF SAID CHAMBER TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH SAID FABRIC, SAID ATMOSPHERE-SUPPLYING MEANS INCLUDING A TREATING-GAS-DISTRIBUTING DEVICE EXTENDING INTO SAID CHAMBER, SAID GAS DEVICE HAVING MEANS INCLUDING A PIPE ARRANGED TO DISTRIBUTE GAS TO BLEND WITH THE REMAINING CONSTITUENTS OF SAID ATMOSPHERE, AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A FABRIC-TREATING GAS AT A PREDETERMINED FLOW RATE TO SAID GAS-DISTRIBUTING DEVICE, SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS INCLUDING A SOURCE OF TREATING GAS AT A GASEOUS PRESSURE GREATER THAN THE GASEOUS PRESSURE OF SAID ATMOSPHERE WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, AND MEANS FOR REGULATING THE RATE OF FLOW OF GAS FROM SAID SUPPLY TO SAID GAS DEVICE TO ESTABLISH SAID PREDETERMINED FLOW RATE. 